The Golden Retriever is a member of the Sporting Group and was first recognized by the AKC in 1925. The Golden Retriever was developed in Scotland and England in the late 19th Century for the purpose of retrieving wildfowl on land and water. Its physical characteristics and its willing, adaptable, trainable nature have also fitted it for usefulness in many other endeavors. The Golden Retriever is a "natural" dog. It doesn't need any surgical alteration or exotic grooming, to keep it looking characteristic of the breed. The Golden Retriever has a normal canine structure without distortions of leg, jaw or tail, and is characteristically a healthy, sturdy, adaptable animal. Basic grooming for a Golden Retriever should take no more than 20 minutes a week. The mature male Golden Retriever is ideally 23-24 inches tall at the shoulder, and weighs 65 to 75 pounds; Bitches, 21 1/2 to 22 1/2 inches, and 55 to 65 pounds. The Golden Retrievers coat, is one of the most characteristic features of the breed, is a "double coat" with a thick weather-proof topcoat and a dense, soft undercoat. There is feathering of longer hair on the backs of the legs, on the neck and chest, and on the tail. The adult Golden Retriever coat may range from light to dark golden, and a golden body color with lighter feathering is common. Golden Retrievers are used for many things like obedience, field, agility, rescue work and are even great for handicapped people. Golden Retrievers are easy to train and strong, however they do have a higher energy level than some other breeds and so they require more attention and activity to keep them from becoming board and possibly destructive! If you have the to time for a higher energy dog the Golden Retrievers temperament can't be matched! This is their most outstanding trait "character". They are outgoing and devoted companions to all sorts of people, happy and trusting. It has also been said that on occasion they can be protective, however I have yet to experience it! The Golden Retriever is known for being the "ideal" family dog. However like any good dog trainer or veterinarian will tell you, they are still an animal and should always be supervised when they are with small children. Golden Retrievers are known to be very pushy with their affection, please visit the link we provided on our "Helpful Links" page to: Kids and Dogs: A Common Sense Approach. There is no question that the Golden Retriever is a versatile and remarkable breed. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Golden Retriever Health Issues The Golden Retriever like any other dog, can fall victim to a wide range of problems and unfortunately the problems multiply as the breed continues to increase in popularity. Indiscriminant breeding and failure to screen for hereditary problems before breeding often results in the “doubling up” of unfavorable genes, the results are distressing for the buyer and dog. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hip Dysplasia The term hip dysplasia means poor formation of the hip joint, and describes a developmental disease in young dogs of many different breeds. Unsound hip joints are a common problem in the larger breeds, hip dysplasia problem in any dog is an inherited defect which is believed to have a polygenic mode of inheritance. The expression of this genetic defect can be modified by environmental factors, such as changes in nutrition, exercise and trauma. The degree of heritability is moderate in nature, meaning that the formation of the hip joints can also be modified by environmental factors such as over nutrition, excessively rapid growth, and certain traumas during the growth period of the skeleton. As with any quantitative trait, hip joint conformation can range from good to bad with all degrees in between. Signs of hip dysplasia cannot be detected in the new born puppy, but usually appear in the rapid growth period between four and nine months of age. Signs of the disease can vary widely from slight irregularities of gait to crippling lameness. Improvement or even apparent disappearance of lameness can occur as the dog matures, as a result of the joint stabilizing, inflammation subsiding, and musculature strengthening. However, the dysplastic dog will usually develop some degree of arthritis later in life. X-rays should be sent to the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) to determine the conformation health of the hips for any potential breeding animal. For pets this is not necessary. The dysplastic dog should not be used for breeding, but may well lead a long, happy, useful life. During the acute phase of the disease, your veterinarian may suggest rest and supportive care. Moderate and regular exercise, control of weight, and perhaps anti inflammatory drugs, are helpful in the management of arthritis associated with hip dysplasia in the older dog. Many Golden Retrievers with hip dysplasia will show no outward signs at all, until perhaps 8 or 9 years of age when muscle tone decreases and arthritis and wear and tear on the joint become more noticeable. Surgical procedures as a last resort are available to alleviate the pain of hip dysplasia. Golden Retrievers and other breeds of retrievers often seem to have high pain thresholds, and do not show signs of pain when other breeds might be very uncomfortable. An x- ray does not always show you how your dog feels, as many dysplastic Golden Retrievers are completely unaware that they have a problem! There are ADDITIONAL TOPICS: such as allergies, skin disorders, cancer, hypothyroidism, seizure disorders and other orthopedic disorders for which routine screening of Golden Retrievers is not performed. This may be because acceptable examination standards have not yet been developed or because the incidence of the defect is low in the Golden Retriever breed.